Exemplary embodiments of this invention generally relate to electrical machines and, more particularly, to a stator structure of an electrical machine for improved cooling.
A stator core generates a considerable amount of heat during operation. It is important to remove this heat because overheating of the stator will reduce the life and performance of motors and generators, thereby limiting the range of applications in which they may be used. Conventional stators include a plurality of fins disposed around the outside circumference of the stator. A cooling fluid, such as air, oil, or another coolant for example, will flow through the cooling channels created between adjacent fins to remove heat from the stator through convection.
In some applications, foreign material from the environment, such as dirt and debris, will enter the stator assembly. This foreign material may become lodged in the stator assembly so as to form a blockage in one or more cooling channels. The blockage impedes the flow of the cooling fluid to a portion of the stator, such that heat from that area of the stator is not efficiently removed. Occurrence of such blockages cause the temperature of the stator to rise and can ultimately lead to a winding failure.